DIY Beauty: How to colour your own hair

Is skipping off to the salon for a whole morning to have your roots done a major luxury – or impossibility – these days?

Estelle Baumhauer, colour director for online colour service esalon.com, gives her top tips for professional at-home results:

Don’t be too brave

Select a colour that complements your natural complexion. As a general rule, don’t choose a colour that is more than two shades lighter than your current tone. If your hair is already coloured, only go one shade lighter.

Read the instructions

Regardless of what brand or type of colour you are applying, it’s important to read the instructions carefully to avoid over-processing your hair.

Prepare your hair

Two days before you colour, shampoo your hair and use a deep conditioning treatment. Don’t shampoo immediately before you colour as this strips some of the scalp’s naturally protective oils, which can leave it more sensitive and prone to irritation.

Focus on roots

If you are simply touching up your roots, focus on the new growth area. Be careful not to overlap colour on hair that has been previously coloured, as this can lead to a dull, dark finish. Then follow with a professional technique called an emulsion to ensure even, harmonious colour from root to tip. To do this, once the colour has processed on your roots, quickly work any leftover colour through the entire length of your hair, then rinse thoroughly.

Watch the clock

Don’t leave your colour on for longer than is specified in the instructions in the hope that it will increase coverage – it won’t. Instead, it will give a darker-than-desired result.

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